CT/MRi Legislation for Nurse Practitioners is Coming July 1, 2022
Represents Removal of a Significant Barrier to Patient Care for Nurse Practitioners
(Ontario, CA)
The Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario (NPAO) is pleased the Government of Ontario and Minister of Health is committing to including the ability for Nurse Practitioners in Ontario to order CT/MRi scans. Ontario is the last Province in Canada to include these orders into the NP scope-of-practice and it is long over due. Implementation is scheduled to take effect July 1, 2022
NPAO has worked diligently for several years on raising this issue and pushing for this change with the Ministry of Health. NPAO President Amanda Rainville states, “The inability for Nurse Practitioners to order these tests has been a significant barrier to practice and has negatively impacted patient care. There will be an immediate and positive impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of patient care delivery by NPs.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed considerable stresses on Ontario’s healthcare system. Enabling NPs to order CT/MRi or provide POC testing will ease the strains while maintaining the delivery of healthcare. It has been a substantial inconvenience to patients and physicians who must find the time to sign-off on a CT/MRi order for NPs, who are perfectly capable of making those decisions and who are often the most responsible health care provider to the patients. NPAO thanks the Ministry of Health and Government of Ontario for moving on this important initiative that NPAO has worked hard to achieve for all Nurse Practitioners in Ontario.
